Tarrant's Loss
by Phoenixica24
Summary: Tarrant/OC, a lost little story I found floating in my files. He and a childhood friend fall in love, but the politics of Wonderland get in their way. Can they stick together or will they be pulled apart?
1. Prologue

**A/N: This is an old story I found floating in my files, please review and let me know if I should continue! Thanks to my beta Azzie (Inkfire) for correcting it!**

Prologue:

Kaymira and Tarrant had grown up as friends, but now her parents were meeting families with sons her age, seeking to marry her off at age fourteen. Mikila, her sister, was offered to Tarrant's family for his wife. His parents accepted, but he did not.

"Why?" Kaymira asked one day. "Why did you turn my sister down? We could have been family! Together always...Or was that all just words to you? Two children dreaming?" Tears ran down her face. "You know they'll pull us apart for sure now."

"Why? Why? Kay, you know why! I never wanted to marry your sister!" he protested.

"So you're waiting for the perfect girl, even if you lose me." Kaymira murmured. "At least I know where I lie in your heart." she whispered.

"Kaymira Mirkana-No!" he cried. "You know that's not true!"

But she had already run away, and he knew he had no hope of catching her. She was fast.

"I want to marry you." he whispered.

Somehow, over their years of friendship, sometime, he'd fallen in love with her.


	2. Chapter 1: Return

**A/N: Since the prologue is a little vague, I'm posting all the chapters I have for this story at once. Thanks again to Azzie for beta'ing everything at once, and so quickly! :)**

Return:

Soon after, Tarrant was taken into the White Queen's Court as a Hatter. When he finally came back to his little village, he found that Kaymira was engaged to Irascibeth's only son. He had come through the kingdom and chosen her of all women. Nay, not a woman, she was sixteen now, merely a girl still.

As he stood by the White Queen's side, he searched the crowd desperately, and when he found her, requested permission to leave the Queen's side for a moment.

"Tarrant-" the Queen began, but his eyes pleaded desperately with her, and she followed his gaze to the beautiful young woman. "Oh, all right then, but only a moment. Tarrant!" But he was already gone, weaving his way through the crowd to her side.

"Kaymira!" She turned, her eyes widened. She recognized him, all right. She turned and ran.

"Kay! Please! Listen-" He rounded a corner and smacked into her as they both fell to the ground. Heat rushed through both of them, and she refused to meet his gaze.

"Mira," he whispered, and tears ran down her cheeks. No one but him ever called her that.

"Just go." she whispered, her musical voice distorted by grief.

"No." he said, sitting up and helping her up. He held tightly on to her wrist, and backed her against the wall. "Mira, I never said I wanted to lose you. I never said I didn't want us to be family, because that would be lying. I do, but not that way. I could never marry your sister when I don't love her, not like I love you. I never wanted to just be friends, or just be siblings. I-" His voice broke. "Not like it matters." He muttered. "I'm losing you anyway." He raised his eyes to meet hers. She was staring at him, wide-eyed. "Tarrant," she whispered.

"Why? Why did you agree to marry him? You know the rumors!" He was furious now, and she could see that the mercury he loved playing around in so much had affected the man she had once loved so he was barely recognizable.

"I didn't. Tarrant, I'm almost seventeen now, my parents have been trying to marry me for years. This was their best chance, and I never got a choice." She was crying now, and he felt bad for making her sad. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. "Wait for me, Kay. I'll talk to your parents."

"They're not happy about you turning down my sister." she murmured.

"They will be happy when I'm done talking to them. They want a Hightopp in their family, not a prince."

"How...?" she asked.

"Kay, you're smarter than that." he teased, but he could see in her eyes that she was genuinely confused. "Mira, I'm going to marry you, and I don't care what it takes. I love you."


	3. Chapter 2: Proposal

**A/N: Thanks again to Azzie!**

Proposal:

Tarrant went back to the White Queen and begged permission to go ask Kaymira's parents for her hand.

It took longer than he thought it would to find them. But when he did, they were clearly not pleased.

"Oh. Tarrant. Hello. Long time, no see." her father said curtly, implying that Tarrant should get out or die.

Tarrant bowed. "So it is."

"What is your business here?" Hari asked, barely polite.

"Could we take this discussion somewhere more private?" Tarrant replied, feeling adequately threatened by their cold attitude towards him. They had almost been his second parents, an extension of his family. Now they hated him.

Without a word, they turned and led him inside.

"What?" Donicus asked icily.

"First, my apologies. I meant no insult-"

"What do you want?"

"Your daughter's hand-"

"That you turned down!" Hari cried.

"You have other daughters, do you not? I was and am under the impression you wanted a daughter to wed a Hightopp, not necessarily your oldest." Tarrant said quietly.

"You turned down our best offer-"

"She was not right for me. I do not love her the way I love Kaymira." Well, that wasn't the way he had intended to say it, but now they knew.

"Kaymira?" Hari asked, incredulous. Kay's parents had always thought of her as useless. Fiery, artsy, and independent, she loved music and performing. She was friendly enough, but had a temper when threatened or upset. A temper which had almost proved her unable to be married. Until now.

"Yes." Tarrant replied simply.

"Well...if she is the one you want, I see no reason to refuse..." Donicus was clearly bewildered.

"She is engaged." Hari reminded them.

"To a traitor." her husband snapped. "I would rather see her alone than with that man! Break it off and announce her engagement! _Now!_"

Arrangements were made. The wedding was to be just after the Queen's next visit, just a week after.


	4. Chapter 3: Betrayal

**A/N: Thanks again to Azzie, and please review and let me know if I should continue it or not! :)**

Betrayal:

A blue cat lay snoozing in the sunlight. The red-clad soldier stifled a laugh. _This_ was their 'guard'? They were overconfident, just as Her Majesty had said. He tiptoed up behind the cat and whispered quietly in his ear.

"If you get up and leave quietly, no one will be the wiser. If you fuss, you die, puss." He thought the rhyme was a neat little addition.

The cat vanished. The soldier looked around, then shrugged. He'd gotten rid of security outside the village, and that had been his job. He left to report to his mistress.


End file.
